


A Walk to Remember

by ericsonclan



Series: We are Monsters, We are Proud AU [20]
Category: The Walking Dead (Telltale Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Creatures & Monsters, Bullying, Elementals, F/M, Fire, Gardens, Gen, Minotaurs, Nymphs & Dryads, Selkies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-09
Updated: 2020-09-09
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:20:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26377189
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ericsonclan/pseuds/ericsonclan
Summary: Ruby and Aasim go to the botanical gardens with Mitch and Brody on a double date.
Relationships: Aasim/Ruby (Walking Dead: Done Running), Brody/Mitch (Walking Dead: Done Running), Mitch & Aasim (Walking Dead: Done Running)
Series: We are Monsters, We are Proud AU [20]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1699969
Kudos: 3





	A Walk to Remember

**Author's Note:**

> (by Linnea)

Aasim felt his flames rise around his body. He was really excited today. His eyes wandered up to the sky, a warm smile on his face at the state of the weather. It was a beautiful day for a double date. 

“Aasim,” Ruby’s cheerful voice drew the fire elemental’s attention back to earth. The dryad smiled at her boyfriend while she waved him over to join her and Mitch and Brody. 

“Sorry I’m late,” Aasim had a small apologetic smile on his face. 

“Aww, don’t worry about it.” Ruby waved a hand dismissively, the small buds on her wrist swaying with the movement.

“Yeah, it isn’t like the botanical garden is going to close anytime soon,” Brody smiled over at the fire elemental.

“Now that Aasim is here we can head in.” Mitch added.

“Right, of course,” Aasim’s hands shuffled through his custom messenger bag that lay on his hip, rummaging through the contents of it before pulling out a metal tube. Undoing the cap, the fire elemental pressed on the nozzle, releasing the lotion within.   
It was a special concoction made to make sure Aasim’s flames didn’t burn anyone wherever it was placed. Rubbing it on his hands thoroughly, he jogged over and delicately intertwined his fingers with Ruby’s. A relieved smile pulled on the corner of the fire elemental’s lips. No matter how many times they had used the special ointment, a small part of Aasim always worried that his flames would prove too powerful and end up harming Ruby. But they didn’t. It gave him the chance to be able to walk hand in hand with his girlfriend. Aasim led the way inside the botanical gate. Mitch and Brody weren’t far behind, their joined hands swaying while they walked. Stopping by the front entrance, Aasim walked forward with Ruby.

“Hello,”

The ticket person looked up with an expression of uncertainty. His eyes held a level of fear to them when he spoke. “Hello,” He tapped a display beside him. “These are the ticket prices.”

“We got the total right here,” Ruby handed forward the exact amount of money. 

The ticket person took it and slid further back. “Enjoy.”

“Thank you,” Brody smiled back at the ticketer while the two couples walked forward. It was a beautiful garden. All different types of flowers and plants stood prominently in it. Ruby led the way, giving detailed descriptions of the different plants and flowers and telling tales of different dryads she knew, how they protected different trees and forestry.

“Hey,” Mitch nodded over to a large tree that held bright, delicate flowers on it. “Can you tell how old that one is?” He looked over at the dryad who gave a confident smile back towards her friend.

Ruby studied the tree carefully while Aasim took the time to reapply some lotion to his hands. Mitch and Brody waited with nervous excitement, wondering whether she really could tell the age. “Oh, it isn’t that old. Only around fifty. A youngin’ compared to others.”

Mitch whistled, impressed by the dryad’s skill. He didn’t have any proof that she was right but knowing how accurate Ruby was with all things to do with nature, he doubted she was wrong here.

“So what’s the oldest tree you’ve ever seen Ruby?” Brody leaned forward, poking her head out from beside Mitch’s large form to see her friend as they walked. 

Ruby took a minute to answer, thinking of her response carefully. Her face scrunched in concentration causing Aasim’s heart to skip a beat and his flames to grow slowly in height. He couldn’t help it. Ruby was so adorable whenever she was deep in thought. “I’d say probably the one I saw in California when I was visiting my cousins. It was nearly five thousand years old.”

“Five thousand?!?!” Brody's eyes widened in disbelief.

“No fucking way,” Mitch shook his head. “No tree can live that long.”

“It’s true, “ Ruby huffed. “Would a dryad lie about nature?”

“Ruby is right. There is a tree that grows around Nevada and California called the bristlecone pine tree. It has the longest lifespan of nearly any tree.”

Ruby smiled up at her boyfriend, pride dancing in her eyes at his knowledge. Aasim’s flames flickered in joy when he felt Ruby squeeze his hand. 

“Whatever, let’s head over there,” Mitch motioned to the flower garden that was over a small bridge where tranquil waters flowed underneath. The fire elemental’s flames dimmed at that suggestion, his fear becoming clear. Ruby seemed to pick up on it right away.

“We don’t have to if you’d rather stay over here.”

“Yeah, Mitch and I can just go over there,” Brody offered with a smile.

Aasim shook his head. “No, we came here today to see _all_ the beauty that this garden had to offer. I won’t let something as silly as a small pond frighten me.”

With that the two couples resumed their walk. Aasim’s grip on Ruby’s hand tightened while they walked over the bridge. His flames became barely visible, hiding away from the potential danger. 

“It’s alright, Aasim, I’m right here with ya.” Ruby’s comforting words made the fire elemental push past his fear and successfully make it over the bridge. 

Mitch and Brody soon caught up and the four looked around at the beautiful colors that filled the area around them. Dozens of types of flowers filled the field. Brody slipped her hand out of Mitch’s and went to look at the flowers more closely. The selkie and dryad talked animatedly as Ruby explained the different flowers. Mitch wanted to take a closer look at the flowers too but then he’d leave Aasim alone, awkwardly waiting for them. So instead he struck up conversation with the fire elemental.

After a while their girlfriends wandered back over to the path. The four continued their stroll through the botanical gardens until they reached a koi pond. A small, excited bark escaped Brody’s lips as she ran over to look at the koi pond. The fish swam lazily through the water, their orange and black scales dancing in the light that shone into the pond. Mitch sat beside his girlfriend, his tail wrapping around his leg as they talked. Ruby and Aasim wandered over to a section of the gardens where dozens of trees formed a tunnel to walk through. After reapplying more lotion on their hands the couple made their way through. Ruby’s eyes danced with happiness as she pointed out the different trees. After about twenty minutes the two couples regrouped and began to make their way to the last section of the gardens.

Mitch let out an annoyed sigh when he glanced behind them. “He’s still fucking following us.”

Brody looked back at the security guard who eyed the four monsters with a mixture of fear and skepticism. Her hand tightened around Mitch’s arm. “I wish he would just stop.”

“Nothing we can do.” Aasim stated simply. “They’re just taking precautions in case I cause a fire.”

“Still, that guard’s expression seems mighty rude,” Ruby’s tone held a level of anger to it. 

“It’s always like this,” Mitch’s hooves clacked against the ground. Brody was the most normal-looking of them, but with a fire elemental, dryad and minotaur around it wasn’t odd for humans to react like this. There always were a few that gave the odd look or were frightened by their presence. It was just how the world was. Mitch gave a resigned sigh. “So we should just enjoy the rest of the date.”

The four did just that, enjoying all that nature had to offer in the gorgeous gardens. When they had exited the gardens, Ruby’s phone buzzed, causing the dryad to stop to check it.

“Aw, fiddlesticks. My pa is already here.”

“Really?” Brody’s eyes grew sad. She was hoping that the double date could last a bit longer.

“I’m sorry, y’all. Next time we can hang out longer.”

“I’ll see you on Monday.” Aasim smiled down at his girlfriend. Ruby smiled up at him before taking out some specialized lip balm and applying it to her lips. Once that was complete, she stood on her tiptoes to kiss Aasim on the cheek. 

“I can’t wait,” Ruby paused for a moment, then got on her tiptoes again to capture the fire elemental’s lips. It was a short, sweet kiss but it set Aasim’s heart aflame. His flames shot up, turning a bright bold blue. Aasim and Ruby both jumped back from the sudden change in heat. Both of them had awkward, shy smiles on their faces. With a few quick goodbyes, Ruby ran off towards the parking lot where her father’s car stood. The other three waved goodbye until the eco-friendly car drove out of their view.

“Well, I guess that ends the date.” Brody swayed back and forth slightly.

“I can still walk you home if you want,” Mitch scratched the back of his head. 

Brody immediately intertwined their fingers again. “I'd love that.” Her words caused a huge grin to appear on the minotaur’s face. 

“Do you have a ride home, Aasim?” Brody asked as the trio made their way down the street. 

“Yes, but it won’t be for a while.” 

“Well, I’m glad for the company.” Brody smiled over at her friend. The three started up some small talk, mainly about school and different classes.

“Mr. Everett is totally going to pull another pop quiz out of his ass,” Mitch groaned.

“He always seems to find the perfect time to throw a curveball our way,” Brody shook her head, stopping when they had reached her house. “Well, this is my stop.”

“Alright,” Mitch had a small pout on his face; he really hated when dates ended. “See ya Monday,” He leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on the selkie’s cheek. Brody’s face immediately heated up at the romantic gesture. A happy, warm smile was on her face as she nodded in agreement. “Yep, see you then. Bye, Aasim,” 

“Bye.”

Brody gave a quick wave and disappeared into her house, leaving the minotaur and fire elemental out on the sidewalk. 

“So, when is your ride showing up?” Mitch glanced over at Aasim.

“Not until four,” Aasim let out a heavy sigh. “Had to make up an excuse that I was going elsewhere. My parents don’t exactly approve of me dating Ruby. I understand why: she’s a dryad and I’m a fire elemental. I could easily burn her and then be taken away from my parents.” Aasim had a sad look on his face. “They are some of the few humans to ever show me any true kindness and they mean the world to me. I don’t wish for that to happen. But my whole life had been about the fear of burning someone or ruining something.” Aasim grabbed the metal tube and lip balm out of his messenger bag. “With these I can safely be with Ruby. And I really care about her.” Aasim’s flames grew large in height, swirling and licking the air around. 

Mitch chuckled, amused by how easily his friend’s emotions were displayed through his flames. “Yeah, that’s pretty fucking obvious. So, where did you tell them you were today?”

“School library. Told them the principal gave me special permission to study there for upcoming tests.”

“Seems like a realistic lie.” Mitch nodded along. “Wanna kill some time together then? I know a really good food stand nearby. I bet even if you char the food to shit it will taste good.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Aasim replied and let the minotaur lead the way to the food stand where Mitch swore he’d had food that changed his life. Mitch and Aasim walked side by side talking about this and that as Mitch led them through an old empty lot to get to the stand quicker. That’s when it happened. Aasim was about to respond to something that Mitch said when he let out a hiss of pain, clutching his shoulder as he spun around. Mitch’s eyes widened before he looked behind them. There standing with water guns were Justin and Joey, two Delta High kids that had bullied monsters in the past. 

“Holy shit, you weren’t wrong, Joey,” Justin strolled forward, the water gun casually resting on his shoulder. “Water really does fuck up flame boy.”

Joey had a twisted smile on his face as he joined his friend’s side. “Good thing I ran back to get the water guns.”

“You better back the fuck away,” Mitch stood in front of Aasim, his eyes burning with anger.

“Or what?” Justin looked up at the minotaur with a smirk. “I’m not sure much goes on in that bull head of yours, but you know that if you do anything with your freak abilities you’ll get in a hell of a lot of trouble.” He looked over at Aasim. “Especially that walking flame over there.” They weren’t wrong. If Aasim did end up causing any harm to them, he would be forcibly removed from his parents. Thrown back to the facility where he was born. Back to a place where most elementals lived out their young lives and stayed trapped as a ward of the state. Mitch glanced back at his friend and saw the pain and fear in his eyes. A sudden splash of water flew past Mitch’s face and hit Aasim who winced in pain. The flames on his face crackled, trying to regain life.

“Stop it,” Mitch’s tail flicked back and forth. “I’m warning you.”

“We’re just doing our job as good citizens: putting out a fire.” Joey’s tone made Aasim’s flames falter out. Justin lifted up his water gun to shoot again when it was suddenly snatched away. Mitch grabbed it in his hands, his knuckles turning white as he cracked the base, causing plastic to go flying. 

“You piece of shit!” Justin spat, jumping up and grabbing Mitch’s horns and kneeing him in the gut. Mitch stumbled back, a look of rage in his eyes. “Uh oh, looks like the bull is seeing red. Probably gonna end up attacking your friend, aren'tcha?” He gestured back to Aasim whose red flames danced in the wind. Joey moved to attack the fire elemental again with water only for Mitch to run in front and get doused. Joey and Justin shared a twisted look.

“Oh, this is going to be fun,” Joey walked forward. The two bullies knew that the minotaur would try and make sure that the fire elemental didn’t get hurt. They used that to their advantage. One would take a turn beating on Mitch before the other would try and douse Aasim. The tactic caused Mitch to quickly tire out. Aasim wanted to help, but if he moved forward to try and help Mitch his flames would only hurt him. Justin and Joey knew this. 

“Ha, wanna help this stupid bull?” Joey kicked Mitch in the gut. “Sucks that it would just end up branding him.”

Justin sent a punch across Mitch’s face that landed with a sickening thud. “Nah, we should just let him. Then we can send this idiot to a farm where he belongs with all the other livestock.”

Before either of them could move towards Mitch again Aasim ran forward, standing in their way. 

“Get out of the way,” Joey smirked, “Before you end up hurting us and making everyone realize that your kind should've been snuffed out.”

“I’ll do a lot more than hurt you if you take one step forward,” Aasim’s words were thick with warning, blue flames dancing around his body.

“Heh, please,” Justin took a step forward only to immediately freeze when the fire elemental’s blue flames grew larger than ever before. 

“Justin, look out,” Joey’s hand reached out only to be slapped back.

“I know that, you fucking moron,” Justin glared back at the pair of friends. “Don’t think this is over.” The Delta High students quickly dispersed, disappearing from view within seconds. Aasim let out a shaky breath and looked back at his friend only for his eyes to widen when he saw the state he was in. 

Mitch sat on the ground, a nasty gash on his forehead along with a busted lip and bruises. “That was badass,” Mitch smiled up at his friend only to wince in pain from the busted lip. 

“Just stay here, I’ll get some help,” Aasim ran off before Mitch could object. He ran to the only place he could think that was close by: Brody’s house. He was about to knock on the door when he remembered that would just cause it to catch on fire. So he settled on sending a text. It took only seconds for the selkie to appear outside her front door.

“Aasim, what happened?” The worry was clear on his friend’s face.

“It’s Mitch. I’ll explain on the way.” Aasim’s voice wavered. Brody nodded and the two were off soon, finding the minotaur leaning against the chain link fence of the empty lot.

“Mitch,” Brody knelt down beside him and placed a gentle hand on his face. “Aasim told me what happened. Come on, I’ll help patch you up.”

“Hey, Brodes.” Mitch smiled up at his girlfriend who was starting to help get him up to his feet. 

The three started to walk in tense silence. Brody kept whispering reassuring words to Mitch who kept insisting that he was fine. Aasim felt a coal of guilt set in the pit of his stomach. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled. Small cinders were sparking at the corners of his eyes.

“Why the fuck are you apologizing? It’s those assholes’ fault.” Mitch looked over at his friend.

“Mitch is right. None of this is your fault. Those jerks have been picking on us since we started high school.” Brody used a hand to draw her sealskin closer. 

“Besides, you totally saved my ass back there.” Mitch flashed a proud smile over at Aasim before looking down at his girlfriend. “He totally scared them shitless.”

“I’m glad,” Brody smiled. “They’ve been extra cruel lately.” Brody stopped and slid her arm out from behind Mitch’s back to open the door before guiding him into the house. Aasim glanced down at his phone and let out a small series of swears.

“Your parents?” The minotaur's voice drew the fire elemental’s attention. 

“Yeah, it’s getting close to four and-”

“Then go, don’t worry about me. I got Brody.” Mitch smiled down at his girlfriend who returned the smile.

“Yeah, don’t worry I’ll make sure Mitch is okay.”

Aasim paused for a moment then gave a small nod. “Alright, I’ll see both of you on Monday.” The fire elemental gave a final wave before heading out. Brody carefully navigated her boyfriend through her house. Opening her bedroom door, she helped Mitch sit down on her bed.

“I’ll be right back. Gotta grab the first aid kit.” With that the selkie was off, leaving the minotaur alone in the room. His heart raced slightly. This was the first time he had seen Brody’s room. An awkward excitement made his heart beat quicker. Mitch’s eyes wandered around the room, noticing a small desk that had a picture of Brody and her mom in front of the waters she used to call home. Her mom’s arms were tightly wrapped around Brody, a warm, kind smile playing on her lips. Hidden further back was a picture of Brody and her dad. The awkwardness of their relationship could be felt in the picture. Both had somewhat forced smiles on their face, their body language stiff and formal. A few seashells layered the top section of her desk. Mitch guessed they were probably from her underwater home. Beside the desk against the wall was a large tank. Brody always talked about how she felt more comfortable sleeping in her seal form, yet it seemed her dad didn’t approve of it considering Mitch was sitting on a bed. 

“Okay, I’m back.” Brody strolled forward and placed the first aid kit down on the bed. Her eyes looked over the different injuries her boyfriend had sustained. A pang of sadness twisted her heart. Silently she began to clean his wounds. Taking out the cleaning alcohol, she dabbed some of it on a cloth before pressing it gingerly on the gash on Mitch’s head. The minotaur let out a small hiss. “Sorry,” Brody pulled back the cloth.

“No, it’s fine. Gotta clean the wound and shit.” Mitch smiled at the selkie. Brody continued to work on it, her hands gently placing the different bandages on Mitch’s injuries. “I hope the water didn’t fuck up Aasim’s shoulder.” Mitch winced when Brody placed a butterfly bandaid on his forehead. “Those assholes think it’s okay to do shit like that. And that shit they pulled with Violet a while ago.” Mitch’s tail flicked with anger.

“I wish they would stop,” Brody’s voice cracked, causing Mitch to glance up and notice tears in her eyes. “I’m tired of seeing you and the others getting hurt. I’m glad you were there to help Aasim though.” Brody took a shaky breath. “I just wish they’d stop believing in that bullshit that Mayor Joan says. That propaganda they sell as the truth is the furthest from it.”

“I know,” Mitch’s hand took Brody’s, slowly rubbing small circles around her wrist. Brody took a shaky breath and recentered herself, giving Mitch’s hand a small squeeze before working on his busted lip. After a few minutes, Mitch was all bandaged up. 

“Alright, that should do it,” Brody placed her hands on her hips before moving to put away the first aid supplies. After that she hopped on her bed, taking a spot next to Mitch. Their fingers intertwined as her head rested against his shoulder. The two sat in tranquil silence for a moment, simply enjoying each other's presence. 

“Thanks, Brody, for patching me up and everything,” Mitch whispered before placing a gentle kiss on top of his girlfriend’s head. “I’m lucky to have you.”

Brody looked up at her boyfriend with a warm, loving smile. “I’m lucky to have _you,_ ” Brody leaned up and captured the minotaur’s lips in a soft kiss. It only lasted a few seconds but it sent both monsters’ hearts racing. When they pulled apart, Brody nuzzled her head against Mitch’s arm and let out a happy sigh. The pair sat there, in content silence enjoying this moment and all the emotions that came with it.


End file.
